Toilet roll dispensers, having the storage capacity for a plurality of rolls of paper, have generally been found useful, especially in commercial applications, such as public washrooms and the like. It is very important that an adequate supply of toilet tissue be present at all times. However, it is not desirable that several loose rolls of toilet paper be left lying around, since this is unsightly, and can easily cause considerable clutter. Also, patrons are not encouraged to complete one roll of paper before starting the next roll.
In order to avoid having a washroom attendant constantly checking for an adequate supply of paper, enclosed storage devices for a plurality of rolls of paper have been developed, whereby only one roll of paper will be in use at a time, but additional supplies are close to hand if needed.
Examples of such storage dispensers are illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,991,951 and 3,295,777, both to Carroll, and also Canadian patent No. 623,434--Klarenbach. All three devices include a vertical storage unit which ranks the rolls of paper in storage, held in place by a plate obstructing the opening at the bottom of the unit.
On completion of the roll of paper "in use", the plate can be removed from the opening and a new roll of paper dispensed. However, the user must either be nimble-fingered or have timely reflexes to return the plate to obstruct the opening and to prevent more than one roll being dispensed at a time. The hapless user who cannot act quickly enough or does not realise what is required, will find a second roll of paper dropping on top of the first fresh roll, and this will obstruct unwinding of the fresh roll. The only way to return the second roll back into the storage unit and return the plate to its position obstructing the bottom of the storage unit is by much inconvenient manipulation and poking about.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel paper storage device which allows storage of a plurality of rolls, but is simple to use and sure to release only a single fresh roll of paper at one time.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide convenience, in the provision both of ready reserve supplies of paper, and also in the provision of a convenient telephone hook-up.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is therefore directed to an improved apparatus for storing and dispensing rolls of paper.
In one embodiment, a paper roll dispenser is provided consisting of a housing adapted to be wall mounted, having back and side walls, a floor and a hinge front wall. A vertically disposed open ended tube adapted to receive a plurality of rolls of paper is mounted inside the housing spaced from the floor of the housing a distance greater than the height of a roll of paper, and the tube has defined on its side a horizontal slot spaced from the bottom of the tube a distance between the height of a single roll and two rolls of paper. A first lever is mounted inside the cabinet and is biased to obstruct the bottom end of the tube. The first lever is pivotal about a vertical axis to clear the bottom of the tube. A second lever, also mounted inside the cabinet, is biased to clear the tube and pivotal about a vertical axis to enter the horizontally disposed slot and bear against the roll in the tube, on pivoting of the first lever.
Preferably, a third lever is also provided which is biased to bear against the roll of paper receivably located on a spigot rigidly projecting from the floor of the housing for receivably locating a roll of paper dropped from the tube. Engagement means connect the three levers so that pivoting of the third lever against its bias pivots the first and second levers against their respective biases.
In another aspect of the invention, means are provided for mounting a telephone on the cabinet with the paper roll dispenser.